JMB Journal Nr.10

JMB Journal Nr.10

How we dress, how we eat, how we present ourselves – our bodies communicate who we are. Religious symbols, fashion accessories, diets, and hairstyles can reveal our social affiliations and differentiations, or display our self-image and the assumptions of others. Our bodies reflect our society. The new JMB Journal takes a closer look at the body, which is of special meaning in Judaism: Numerous passages in the Talmud refer to it, so that speaking of a “Jewish body” is not as absurd as it may at first sound. Increasing scientific knowledge may influence our faith, along with the way we see ourselves and, perhaps, choose to modify ourselves. Body modifications that are skin-deep, such as tattoos, have been subject to trends and traditions for millennia. The same applies to fashion, which today comments explicitly on the world.